July 25, 2013
Research done
Calgary Herald – Opinion
“Instead of repeating research that has already been done, policy-makers, service providers, journalists and the public should be encouraged to work with researchers to take stock of what is known about problematic substance use.” With mention of VCH’s Insite facility.
Street cleaned up
Calgary Herald – Opinion
The open drug was “much worse” before VCH’s Insite facility opened up.
Evidence trumps ideology over public health benefits of InSite
Vancouver Sun
Scientific evidence shows that VCH’s Insite facility and other harm reduction programs are reducing the damage of illicit drug use. With mention of Dr. Thomas Kerr and Dr. Julio Montaner of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.
Licia Corbella, Journalism Thanks You
The Tyee
The controversy around a column on VCH’s Insite facility has indirectly shown that good journalism still exists.
User fees on the rise, even for those in a wheelchair: Health care won’t escape cuts to balance budget
The Province – Opinion
The wheelchair fee being introduced at Fraser Health and VCH is only the beginning of more service cuts and user fees.
Care home benefits from fundraising efforts
Burnaby Now
PHC’s St. Michael’s Centre in Burnaby recently completed two tub rooms thanks to funding from Fraser Health and community donations.
Point Grey bike debate draws a crowd to Vancouver City Hall
Georgia Straight
A proposed route along Point Grey Road drew close to 200 people to speak at a recent City Hall meeting. With quotes from Dr. John Carsley, a medical health officer with VCH.
Hordes of Vancouverites weigh in on Point Grey Road bike lane
Metro News
Nearly 200 citizens signed up to speak to council about a proposed bike route. With quotes from Dr. John Carsley, a medical health officer with VCH.
Islanders encouraged to participate in health survey
Bowen Island Undercurrent
VCH’s health survey is an opportunity for Bowen Island residents to influence change in health care in the area.
Burnaby wants regional approach to hoarding
Burnaby NewsLeader
Burnaby council wants to the provincial government to help deal with hoarders. With mention of VCH working with the City of Vancouver to deal with hoarders.
Exercise for the brain
The Chief
VCH has partnered with Squamish to offer a circuit-based group exercise program for people with mobility issues due to neurological conditions or injury.
TD donates $750,000 to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation through its TD Grants in Medical Excellence program
Money News (Source: Canada Newswire)
VCH’s Dr. Patricia Mills is the first recipient of an award made possible by donation from TD Bank Group.
July 24, 2013
MSP residency rule is fair to taxpayers
The Province
“Canadians travelling or living abroad must ensure they get health insurance.” With mention of Jyoti Tronson, a VGH patient.
The real questions about Cory Monteith’s death
Ottawa Citizen – Op-Ed
Columnist Licia Corbella’s theory that VCH’s Insite facility played a role in Cory Monteith’s death is “misguided” and “shockingly simplistic.”
Fatal combo
Calgary Herald – Opinion
More people are off drugs because of VCH’s Insite facility. Written by a nurse who used to work at the facility.
Insite saves addicts lives and often transforms them
Calgary Herald – Opinion
“Insite was created for the specific purpose of preventing people from dying — and it does.” Written by Liz Evans, the executive director of the PHS Community Services Society.
Time to clean up the Downtown Eastside
24 Hours – Column
“The Downtown Eastside is a blot on the landscape of Vancouver.” With mention of VCH’s Insite facility.
192 people sign up to speak on bike-lane plan
The Province
192 people shared their opinions at a City Hall meeting for a new bikeway plan. With quotes from Dr. John Carsley, a medical health officer at VCH.
Council gives okay to medical pot
Peak Online
The Powell River mayor and council vote unanimously in support of a motion allowing the city to take advantage of new rules around medical marijuana. With quotes from Dr. Paul Martiquet, a medical health officer at VCH.
Health survey puts spotlight on community wellness
Peak Online
VCH is teaming up with the University of British Columbia and Fraser Health to find out more about how healthy British Columbians are. With quotes from Dr. Jat Sandhu, regional director of public health surveillance at VCH.
Online survey hopes to measure health
North Shore News
The My Health My Community web-based survey is a collaboration between VCH, Fraser Health and the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s eHealth Strategy office.
July 23, 2013
You can’t get clean if you’re dead
National Post – Column
It “seems downright reckless” to look at shutting down VCH’s Insite facility based on Lisa Corbella’s argument against harm reduction.
Aiming for treatment
Calgary Herald – Letter
“I worked as the physician at (VCH’s Insite) facility for two years and I can assure Corbella that Insite is not a place for drug dealing.”
Enabling addicts?
The Province – Opinion
“Columnist Alicia Corbella raises an interesting point about VCH’s Insite.”
Setting up a safe injection site in Canada shouldn’t be such a nightmare
VICE
“Denying addicts a place to shoot up safely with clean equipment isn’t going to make them disappear.” With mention of VCH’s Insite facility.
Columnist willfully ignorant of Vancouver street life
24 Hours – Column
“It is willful ignorance on Corbella’s part to promote her anti-harm reduction position.” With quotes from Dr. Patricia Daly, chief medical officer for VCH and with mention of VCH’s Insite facility.
Doing more harm
Calgary Herald – Opinion
The harm reduction practiced at VCH’s Insite “is more encouragement to continue than it is to shake the addiction.”
More resources devoted to policing than harm reduction
Vancouver Sun – Letter
Harm reduction is not the focus of B.C.’s drug strategy.
Insite saves
Calgary Herald – Letter
Licia Corbella’s column “sets a new standard in the realm of absurd arguments” in criticizing safe injection site like VCH’s Insite.
Getting the most from your sunglasses
Coast Reporter
A good pair of sunglasses can protect your eyes from damage. Written by Dr. Paul Martiquet, a VCH medical health officer.
Measles is back. It had help
Globe and Mail — Column
Measles are making a comeback “thanks to people who don’t believe in vaccinations.” With quotes from Dr. Paul Martiquet, a medical health officer for VCH.
Family pulls all the stops to care for man
The Province
A Vancouver man is facing mounting medical bills after experiencing a major injury in Japan three months ago. With mention of VGH where the man is now staying.
Terry Lake: dad, animal lover and health minister
Vancouver Sun
A Q & A with B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake.
First hospitals in colon cancer screening program swamped with referrals
Vancouver Sun
The provincial colon cancer screening program is facing challenges before implementation.
Conference focuses on ways to improve lives of children
Vancouver Sun
UBC is hosting a conference that looks at the latest findings in neuroscience, mental health and child development. With mention of VCHRI’s Brain Research Centre.
July 22, 2013
No link between supervised injection and Glee star’s death, health expert says
Globe and Mail
VCH chief medical health officer Patricia Daly says the opinion that Insite makes drugs more accessible is “ridiculous.”
Columnist under fire for blaming Vancouver for Monteith’s death
Global BC
A Calgary columnist is being criticized after she blamed VCH’s Insite facility for Cory Monteith’s death. With quotes from Clay Adams, spokesperson for VCH.
Columnist threatened for linking Cory Monteith death to drug injection site
CTV News
A Calgary columnist says she has received threats after linking “Glee” star Cory Monteith’s death to VCH’s safe drug injection site in Vancouver.
Calgary writer stands by column
The Province (also appeared in the Calgary Herald)
A Calgary columnist is defending her column in which she blamed Glee actor Cory Monteith’s death on VCH’s Insite facility. With quotes from Clay Adams, spokesperson for VCH.
Social media outrage over Calgary column linking Cory Monteith’s death to InSite|
Vancouver Sun (also appeared in the Ottawa Citizen)
Examples of responses on social media to Lisa Corbella’s column linking Cory Monteith’s death to VCH’s Insite facility.
No to drug injection sites in Toronto
Sun News – Editorial
The Toronto Board of Health’s recent proposal for a legal injection site for drug addicts is a bad idea.
Vancouver’s attitude toward drugs created haven for Monteith
Calgary Herald – Opinion
Vancouver is a “drug user’s paradise.”
Cory Monteith’s death and Abbotsford drug users illustrate the dangers of stigma
Georgia Straight – Commentary
Societal stigma about drug use and drug users is deadly and changing our attitudes will save lives.
ESL program closure puts mentally ill students at a loss: NDP
CTV News
NDP MLA Jenny Kwan is blasting the provincial government for closing an ESL program for immigrants with mental health issues.
Abbotsford bylaw leads to complaint
The Province
The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has accepted a B.C./Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors complaint on behalf of three Abbotsford drug users alleging that the city acted outside of its jurisdiction, violated Charter rights and breached the Human Rights Code.